Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-09-23
Lonsdale. "Why is he loafng about En-
gland at sill, lust noR?n

leave" replied Melanie, Indignation min
Cling with her detection. "You forget,
or perhaps know not, that he was ct the
battles of Hsmed Khel and Candahar, land
that he won his V. G. under Roberts in
the fight with the Ghazis st Gundi-
moolah."
"Indeed," said Uncle Grimshsw mock
irgly, chow well you seem up in his BIZ
ography."
Melsnie blushed st her own energy, out
her eyes were suffused with angry tears.
"a years leave from India" snorted
Uncle Grinshsw-"a years leave ct the
ratepayers' expense. When l was st his
age, in Birchinlane, s week or fort
night in the year, for g run to Brighton
or E4stbourne, WAS all the leave ever &C
corded to mel"
| When left alone, Melanie looked Tist-
fully at her engagement ring. Whist
bitter farce it seemed just then, in her
time Of bitter depression, woe, ard NOR
/ tif3ati0n.
Should she take it of?-no-not yet;
| some affectionste superstition ef the
! heart withheld her from doing 50.
The new situation seemed incredible.
The light seemed to have gone out Of
/ her life. See Montague and speedily, she
must; but where? Surely he would
write or come to Rose Cottage without
delay, unless-but when she attempted
to speculate further, her heart died with
in her.
CHAPTER xIu,-''A LONG ROAD FULL OF
PAIN.U
a blight that seemed TO have fallen
upon the hitherto calm and almost con-
tented condition of her helpless brother,
now added greatly to the misery endured
/ by Melanie, as she knew too well the Sc
cret source thereof, and yet ielt unwill-
ing 10 sppr0sch the subject, as 1t was one
she YES unable to relieve or remove.
Bat il was Impossible for her not to
perceive that now the dbIk eyes OF Reg
gle wore at times strange and shadoWy
Expression, as If his thoughts she could
not fathOm, or dreamed Of things ste
knew not Of and yet saw too plainly for
her own peace.
The heart is said TO have sun Of its
own, that Csn shed light and beauty
around it; but his seemed set forever
now.
His old b-otherly regard for Amy had
become passion now; but q passion CT
which ne dared not speak, from g bitter
sense of rs utter madness and inutility
loved her secretly, fUndly, ard tearlessly
1t scarcely occurred to him with much
force that aught would come to disuEitC
{ them, to break the spell, or mar the
sweetness of a placid intercourse; or thai
time would be when her songs were NJ
longer to fall on his ear, OF the melody c
her voice when she reed to 0r chartered
| with HIM.
Often when she and Musgrave were
present, he would start up as if he wouIl
leave them, and shun their society, blu
2 only started to sink baCk, helpless, On III
= coach he occupied by day.
. He wished to avoid her presence, al
yet welcomed her when she came, for III
whole existence seemed 6 paradox now
! Amy came, as WAS her won't, 10 sit an
! talk with him when MelSnie Wa5 a5sen
+. or busy, out more seldom now and q
longer intervals, and though his usual
:, grave countensnce lighted up when b
: saw her, his manner frequently lost it
= old sweetness and became sad, iTaCtiouG
- even m0C0se, even when she nung owe
= him as her playfelloW Of the past, an
= serOked his dGrk hair as Of old with he
: soft, pretty, aud Child-like hand.
Tim her breath would be on MS cheek
her lips so near his own, and yet he dare
not kiss them-nOW especially.
> Surely never since Tantalus in hi
> agony Of thirst SEW the imp0sSiol
= drsught of water so near him, aud ID
y cluster of luscious fruit thatthe wind too
. beyond his reach, was there such q pan
as the helpless fellow felt then.
u There was pitiful ache in his hear
L with 6 sense of desolstion noW-utte
desOlAu0E-unsatis longing, yearn
+" ing, and regret for the happiness ths
e others had, and that fate had denied t
Il him; and he writhed in his wheel chail
e amid the sunshine and flowers Of tn
I garden, when Amy came to him in Il
l. evening, after Melanie'5 bitter moruf
{, cation, and in his gloomy spirit he It
e sented the eXQDeranCe Of her girlish nap
le piress.
"What would you have me say, Rec
=. gta?" asked Amy, who began 10 have, s
II we have said, nervous dread or sens
OF the emotions she was exciting in h
W poor fellows breast; yet, with ell ht
.. pity, she WAS little piqued by b.
). ChurIish responses.
re "Say? I dc not know. OF course yC
y cSnnO. C&re for wnat | maY think or fee
ID why should you?"
* chow can you speak to me thus?
10 asked tie girl softly, but reproacafuIl
- of you have made up your mind
Il "To what" Interrupted Amy, viii
tie others gaze seemed fixed on ii.
" lance.
o at would b. wrong and worse tha
useless to seek to alter your determine
d. ton, or to make you dissatisfied vii
Il what is, perhaps, for your Advantage"
II "W Gould you not advise me?" said AM
re 0lushiDg pqintully, Is she knew to wht
8 he referred so abruptly and mysteTiousl
l. ~ SIN neither Esther or brother, NJ
- relation Of any kind" said Regina.
OF csp.Iously; $50 why should l sdvise?"
Y "NOr even wish me well, dear Reggie?
IN You know, Amy, l would lay dow
$, my miserable life for you"
" "Poor Reggie, think you do care
le little what becomes Of me-"
Sc "lIore, perhaps, than you snd maj
Y more care what becomes OF me-'such
10 tine young fellow, to0!' IS people 5.
II pttyingly," he added, with bitter, bi
ter smile.
ht 81 know you don't mean the half
what you say, when you are il one
your captious moods, NY poor nAugh
We boy" replied the girl, sweetIy, vet vi
p 8 break in her voice.
>" al mean that can be very little to 70
where love for another is concerned
On said he, coldly and half sside.
Amy changed color, and feeling tn
they We're on perilous ground, BEGAN
er silent, snd began 20 think she must cea
ne 70 visit the cottage at all; but then Z
CD very absence would excite remsr
Yrurc bocaop m